TROOP NEWS

Q: I’m going on my first campout with my Cub Scout pack. What’s a good sleeping bag to get? — Marcus, Charlotte, North Carolina A: When shopping for any sleeping bag, the goal is the same: You want one that keeps you warm and comfortable. Follow your budget. You can find affordable bags that keep you comfy for a pack overnighter or council-run campout. Consider Redcamp mummy sleeping bags ($33-$40, redcamp.com). With temperature ratings as low as 32 degrees, they should keep you warm on most campouts. Their mummy style helps keep heat close to you. Rectangular-shaped sleeping bags work…

In about 30 seconds, the Flextail Tiny Pump 2X ($40, flextail.com) can inflate or deflate your sleeping pad while lighting up your tent at the same time. This rechargeable air pump weighs little more than 3 ounces and fits in your pocket. But don’t let its small size fool you: This pump’s powerful motor can quickly fill an air mattress, forcing up to 180 liters of air through its nozzle within a minute. Turn it around, and the pump will deflate your mattress just as fast. The battery lets you fill a mattress up to 40 times on one charge.…

Here’s what you’ll find inside the September 2023 issue of Scout Life magazine. Remember, many articles are only available to subscribers and are not available online. Please visit scoutlife.org/subscribe to subscribe to the print or digital editions of Scout Life magazine. SEPTEMBER 2023 FEATURES KICK IT UP A NOTCH Have a great Scouting year! Here’s how you can do it. • Do Your Best to Make the Most of This Scouting Year! GEAR GUY: PITCH PERFECT Whether you pick a tent or tarp, these shelters will guard you from the elements. • Tent or Tarp? How to Pick the Right…

SEE ALSO: Vote for your favorite futuristic AI concept car and share your designs! When car manufacturers want to try out ideas, their designers and engineers get to work on concept cars. They could create groundbreaking driving technology or craft wild body designs. Or they could fine-tune a driver’s experience by adjusting interior lighting or seat style. Working on concepts helps direct the future of the auto industry. The first concept car — the Buick Y-Job, designed in 1938 — showcased features such as pop-up headlights, flush door handles and power windows — some of which would become standard in…

Check out this photo gallery of crazy, futuristic, unusual and awesome tents. Which is your favorite? The Tunnel Tent These concept tents can be easily set up by themselves, or they can be connected together to make an entire tent community. The Bicycle Tent Trailer When you’re done with a day of cycling, just park this tent trailer and climb inside. It has everything you need. The Solar Tent Three panels above this tent are woven with solar threads that collect the sun’s energy and provide power for lights and portable devices. The Pod Tent These modular tents can be…

SEE ALSO: Take a look at four real-life concept cars by BMW, Audi, Buick and Nissan Check out these futuristic concept cars, all designed using the magic of artificial intelligence. These cool vehicles were created by an AI program called Midjourney. They might not be real, but they sure look awesome. Now it’s your chance to be part of the fun! Share your vehicle designs using the form at the bottom of this page, and we could feature them in an issue of Scout Life magazine. You can draw them by hand or use AI to create them, just let…

You don’t need four burners and a gas line to make some great-tasting trail food. All you need is plenty of sunlight. Make your own solar cooker and feed the whole group. Solar ovens work by bouncing sunlight off a reflective surface into a container. The hotter the container, the faster your food will cook. It’s easy to make—and cheap. WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE A SOLAR COOKER: Black paper Foil Glue Marker Plastic wrap Ruler Scissors Skewer Square pizza box Tape Utility knife WHAT YOU’LL DO TO MAKE A SOLAR OVEN: STEP 1: Use a ruler and marker to…

You come across a stream. There isn’t a bridge, yet the trail continues on the other side. How do you get across? Crossing a body of water presents some hazards. You can slip on a wet rock, fall into a deep spot or even get swept downstream by fast-moving water. So before you just wade in, consider several factors. First, look for where the water is calm, even if it’s the widest part of the stream. Check downstream. If you were to fall, is there a chance you could be swept into rocks, rapids or even a waterfall? If so,…

When you join a Scouts BSA troop or Cub Scout pack, you are assigned to a patrol or den. This “patrol method” helps you make friends, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and share in the success of your group. To build camaraderie, especially in a Scouts BSA troop, you will come up with a patrol name, yell and flag. How do you come up with something good? You can get creative with a fun name like the “Radioactive Guinea Pigs” or the “Wizard Lizards.” Or come up with something that describes you and your fellow Scouts. If you all love…

Whether you pick a tent or tarp, these shelters will guard you from the elements. Tents and tarps both have advantages. How you want to sleep, the environment and how you want to use it can all factor into your decision. CAMPING TARP ADVANTAGES “Tarps are lighter than tents, most are more versatile and a tarp can easily adjust to its surroundings,” says Charlie Ranahan with outdoor gear company Mountain Hardwear. “Most tarps have multiple attachment points, and they extend over a wider area than a tent, giving you and your friends more space to hang out and sleep.” There’s…